About a year after breaking dawn, when a new member is added to the Cullen family, Bella and Edward's love will not be the only one that is tested.

Chapter 1: Max

Bella's Point of View
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I was perfectly content. My head was in Edward's lap and my feet were dangling off the couch. I smiled at Renesmee, over a year old now, she looked to be about four or five. Her beautiful hair was shinning thanks to Alice; she was giggling and watching a home video of herself from when she was just born thanks to Rosalie. Her laughter filled the air, and soon I couldn't help but smile down at her, and then up at my husband.

We had moved out of Forks, because it was getting to the point where people would get much too suspicious. Of course, we promised to visit Charlie and the others on holidays and birthdays. Jacob, obviously, came with us to this little home in the middle of nowhere. He missed his pack, but the pain he would have from being away from Renesmee would be much greater.

Carlisle was working at the little town's hospital. Edward and I were to attend the local high school, as seniors, in the fall along with Jasper Alice, and Jacob as a junior. Rose and Emmett were to go to the local college as a freshmen and sophomore, respectively.

Renesmee was still not growing at a normal rate, and we were worried how she would cope in school anyway, being so much smarter than the kids her age, or what appeared to be her age. Esme agreed to stay home and tutor her in anything that her fast little heart desired. We didn't plan to stay here too long, just in time for Jacob to get his GED and me to do a few years of college. Edward had wanted to take me to a big, fancy, Ivy League school, but I insisted that was unnecessary.

Alice came in and moved my feet so that she could sit next to her favorite sister. "Hey Bella, I know you're totally busy and whatnot," she laughed, "but I was wondering if you could talk to me about something…" her face grew serious.

"What is it, Alice?" Edward wanted to know, she was probably reciting a novel in Portuguese in her head to keep him out.
"It's a girl thing Edward, my goodness. Bella could you put your shield up, and take a walk with me… your husband is too nosy for his own good," I nodded my head and reluctantly moved myself away from Edward.

"I'll miss you, love," Edward said as I slowly pulled myself off the couch.

"I'll miss you more!" I called as Alice dragged me out. I could hear Renesmee talking to Edward inside.

"Don't be sad Daddy!" I pictured Edward's distraught expression, "Mommy's never going far away without us," I smiled at my daughter's adorable face that was probably making Edward forget all about Alice kidnapping me from our moment of bliss.

"Is your shield up?" Alice asked.

I pulled the now more malleable shield around the two of us, and we jogged a few miles into the forest before sitting down by a quiet spring, with lavender and wild roses growing in every direction.

I looked at Alice questioningly. "What's up sis'?"

Her happy, perky face turned into an array of emotions, none of them near happy. "Bella, last night, Jasper and I were out hunting, when I… I…" I put my hand on her shoulder and urged her to continue.

"Well, Bella… you do love Edward more than anything…" Her voice almost seemed like it was asking a question, like she was only very slightly, but still attempting to question my love.
"Are you asking me, or telling me?"

"Eherm…" she looked at my slightly upset face, how could she question my love for Edward, now, or ever? "…a..asking,"

"ALICE… why!? You know how I feel, how completely irrevocable my feelings are!"

"Oh, right, I should have known my visions aren't---" she was cut short; at once I realized she was having another vision. She quickly snapped out of it. "Carlisle… Carlisle is … bringing another vampire home, his name is Max he wants… to join our family…"

Alice and I rushed home to inform the others of our visitor.

As soon as we were in the house I quickly scooped up Renesmee, Edward put his arm around me, and Jacob stood in front of us, protecting the light of his life. The door opened only a few seconds later.

Carlisle walked in, in front of Max. "Family, come, sit. We have a visitor."

Max came in and smiled, hugely. Alice was the first to greet him, "Hello Max, it's unnecessary to explain yourself, we know why you are here."

"Yes, please, feel welcome, sit down," Everyone sat down, and Esme continued, "Please, do tell us about yourself, for all of us without the power to know already," Esme looked meaningfully at Alice and Edward.

Before Max could begin, he looked around at all of us, smiling. He lingered a little longer on my face, this of course not going unnoticed by Edward. The arm around me tightened, and on my other side Jacob scooted closer to me, what with Renesmee being on my lap.

"I come in peace, no doubt. I also come in hopes of being a part of a family, an honor I do truly wish I could behold. My existence as a vampire has never been satisfying and complete… but rather… cold and meaningless. I wish for a purpose, a reason to be, and a sense of belonging, and my power brought me here, to this loving environment."

"What do you mean by that?" Emmett asked, impatient.

"My power, it brought me here. I have the ability to … sense and test love and true bonds and ties of deep emotion. I can see the ones here are ever so strong, flawless, and" he paused, "nearly unbreakable. I wonder if it's because of the diet, or something else, some humane spirit that flows amongst you, and I ever so wish to surround myself in such a place, and to also be a part of such … love."

I noticed my husband's disgruntled expression. I whispered so only he could here, and maybe Renesmee and Jacob because of their proximity. Honey, what's wrong, are his intentions not as pure as his words?

He whispered, even softer, back to me: I'm assuming his words are honest, but it just disturbs me that I cannot read his mind. He cannot be a mental shield, because I can see clearly in Alice's mind what will happen with him the next few days. He must just be…. hiding from me.


I nodded my head in agreement with him.I smiled at Max, a new brother, I thought to myself, and smiled bigger. He had come to us, just like Alice had come to the Cullen's many years ago. I'm sure they would get along. His golden eyes proved to me that little training would be needed for him to fit perfectly at home with us. Max smiled back at me, probably noticing my creepy stare.

And the Cullen family grows by one more, I thought. So, I guess I wouldn't always be the newest addition. I liked this thought, I liked the thought that our family could grow. I liked Max, it's not every day someone has enough guts to do what he did today. I imagined him betting Emmett to a wrestling match, and I imagined him and Jasper having deep meaningful conversations, about emotions, and love and their emotional atmospheres. I imagined Max's power was more than what he had said. I remember his words 'test love and true bonds' and thought of the meaning behind that.

I hope that by that he only meant he would give us a few multiple choice tests to test our compatibility. Otherwise, I had a good feeling about Max.

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